Caffeine shots and animated conversations in a cozy corner of a cafe seems irresistible to a majority of young Indians today. But was the scene always so? Historically, chai tapris were seen at the corner of every other busy street; where a few friends or even total strangers bonded and chatted over chai. Delving into history, one finds that the Britishers brought the café to India. The British left, but the cafe culture held its roots in India. The aftermath of Covid-19 saw the café getting a new lease of life. Earlier perceived as a standoffish eatery, now it is an adaptable, welcoming space that doubles up as a working and meeting place! Besides delicious cookies and brownies, the free WiFi offered by all these cafés gives them extra brownie points.

A CEPT graduate, Ar. Prashant Pradhan went back to his homeland Sikkim to set up his independent practice - a multidisciplinary studio Prashant Pradhan Architects (PPA) in Gangtok. The design philosophy of being rooted in the context of the site reflects in all the work done by the studio. Here, we present one of the studio’s finest hospitality projects – and Sikkim’s first luxury hotel - Taj Vivanta, Pakyong.

Mumbai-based Designers Group delivers top-notch, high-end hospitality projects all over India. These include architecture and interior designing of hotels, resorts, clubs, and restaurants. The studio masterfully led by Ar. Khozema Chitalwala has garnered immense recognition for the innovative and impactful projects in its portfolio.

Mumbai indisputably has the largest population of apartment dwellers. In these three handpicked units of sizes 1000, 2000, and 3000 sq. ft. one can see luxe décor treatments laid on to well-resolved layouts that optimize the available space. These stylish apartments come from the portfolios of well-known Mumbai-based designers Ketan Sheth (Founder & MD, Goldmine Project Consultant & Services LLP), Prashant & Anu Chauhan (Principal Architects & Co-founders, Zero9 Design) and Sumessh Menon (Founder, Sumessh Menon Associates)

Sunil and Aarti Grover’s duplex apartment in bustling Mumbai suburb sees a beautiful melding of the celebrated actor-comedian and his interior designer wife’s sensibilities. Graciously allowing glimpses of the home, which features in this season of Asian Paints’ home décor series, ‘Where the Heart Is’ – Sunil and Aarti have made a home for themselves, with a lot of love and care. The organically curated space exudes happiness, warmth and positivity.